Tapas Roy, a BJP MLA and West Bengal minister, asserted on Tuesday that the Trinamool Congress is on the verge of a split, akin to the political upheavals seen in Maharashtra, amid rumours of internal strife within the party.
Speaking to reporters outside the state assembly, Roy claimed that the TMC was on the verge of disintegration due to growing discontent among its legislators and leaders. "Many lawmakers and leaders are becoming increasingly displeased," he said, adding that it is comparable to what transpired in Maharashtra.
Before joining the BJP in 2024, Roy was a member of the TMC. "TMC will completely fail. It ought to shatter," he remarked.
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The previous two days have seen an increase in political conjecture over the TMC's breakup. Mamata Banerjee, the leader of the TMC, convened a meeting on Sunday, but about 60 of its 80 MLAs did not show up. Following the party's recent electoral defeat, the absences fueled rumours of deepening dissension inside the organisation, as reported by Business Today.
According to reports, TMC MLAs Sandipan Saha and Ritabrata Banerjee met with a number of lawmakers on Tuesday at the MLA Hostel in Kolkata.
Additionally, reports indicate that 20 to 50 lawmakers may have contact with the rebel camp. In the most recent election, the TMC secured 80 seats in the 294-member house.
Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha were dismissed by the TMC on Monday due to alleged anti-party conduct. The TMC informed the two MLAs that they had engaged in activities that were against the party's interests and had consistently neglected to show up for meetings called by the party leadership.
The party has been accused of straying from its initial leadership by Ritabrata Banerjee, a prominent figure among dissident lawmakers. Outside the assembly, he declared, "The party has been hijacked by I-PAC and no longer belongs to Mamata Banerjee," which fueled rumours of a growing internal divide.
Senior TMC politician Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay has attempted to dispel the rumours, claiming that the party was unified and that most lawmakers continued to support Mamata Banerjee. However, he said that attempts were being made to instigate defections and undermine the opposition.
Reports that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari would probably visit New Delhi later in the day added fuel to the political rumours.
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